Association of Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Case-Crossover, Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study

Chuan-Yi Lin, Po-Hsiu Kuo and Szu-Yuan Wu
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Chuan-Yi Lin: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Po-Hsiu Kuo: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Szu-Yuan Wu: Department of Food Nutrition and Health Biotechnology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 413, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: The etiology of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) has been unclear until now. Understanding its potential etiology is crucial for the development of preventive medicine. In this study, we investigated the association between acute upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) and SSNHL risk. We conducted a case-crossover study by using the longitudinal health insurance database derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Individual acute URI between the case and control periods was reviewed. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of SSNHL risk associated with acute URIs after adjustments for potential confounders. In total, 1131 patients with SSNHL between 2010 and 2013 fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were included. The aOR (95% confidence interval [CI]) for SSNHL was 1.57 (1.20–2.05) in relation to acute URIs one month before the index date. Moreover, the aORs (95% CIs) of the female and young to middle-aged (?65 years) populations were 1.63 (1.13–2.36) and 1.76 (1.29–2.40), respectively. In addition, the association between SSNHL and acute URIs was decreased over time. The aOR for SSNHL was 1.25 (1.01–1.56) in relation to acute URIs three months before the index date. Acute URIs increase SSNHL risk and are a potential risk factor for SSNHL. The establishment of a feasible health policy for the prevention of acute URIs is crucial for SSNHL prevention, particularly in female, and young to middle-aged populations.

Keywords: sudden sensorineural hearing loss; acute upper respiratory tract infections; risk; case-crossover; young age (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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